


A Surrogate Son

by KathyG



Series: Gap-fillers/missing scenes for sgam76's "A Long Walk Down a Dusty Road" [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gap Filler, Gen, Inspired by Fanfiction, Missing Scene, No Slash, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 17:13:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20727848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KathyG/pseuds/KathyG
Summary: I wrote this little scene as a gap-filler/missing scene to the end ofChapter 42of sgam76’s“A Long Walk Down a Dusty Road.”I'm not the author of that great story—that honor belongs exclusively tosgam76—but as a fan who's following her story most avidly, it occurred to me that during John and Mellie Holmes’s discussion in Chapter 42, she would want to reassure him on one very important point.  Hence, thisveryshort story! =)





	A Surrogate Son

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sgam76](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgam76/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Long Walk Down a Dusty Road](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14621058) by [sgam76](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgam76/pseuds/sgam76). 

_“Well, then,” Mellie said, with the sweet smile John (very occasionally) saw on her son’s face, “I think it’s fair to say you saved each other, and your part in that is more than I can ever repay. I warned you once, John—I’m a meddlesome woman, and I’ve long felt entitled to meddle with you when you needed it. I know you said and did terrible things to Sherlock when Mary died; I can't completely absolve you of that, but I recognize there were extenuating circumstances involved. I’ve been derelict in that duty up to now, I think; I should have intervened at the time, but I wanted to give you space to come around on your own. I think I assumed, unwisely, that you processed things like my children, and I now realize that’s not true. So let’s start from assuming that we both erred, and decide what we can do to make things right, for all of us. For the family. Does that work for you? Does that feel like adequate ‘atonement and restitution’, my dear?”_

_“Oh, God, yes,” John managed, and was enveloped in silk and warm arms. (Chapter 42, A Long Walk Down a Dusty Road, by sgam76)_  
  


A moment after Mellie had started to hug John, she leaned back, placed her hands on her lap, and gazed into his eyes. “First, though, before we begin, there’s one thing I think we should settle, John,” she said. “I told you a few minutes ago that if you insisted that caring about you was transactional, there were a couple of qualifying events that endeared you to us. One of them, in particular, firmly places you in my orbit, as I said. But I also said, before that, that belonging to a family isn’t something that you earn. Half the population would be cast out if that were the case.” 

“Uh, right.” John shifted position, wondering where Mellie was going with this. 

Mellie leaned forward. “Yes, I do treat you like a son, John; Siger and I both do. And we will continue to do so, because in our eyes, you have become one. You may not actually be a member of our family; you may not be a Holmes by birth or adoption, but you _have_ become our surrogate son, as surely as Rosie has become our surrogate granddaughter. And we will always treat you like one. So, don’t ever be afraid to come to us, if you need a mother or father’s help. Or comfort.” She paused, and added softly, “My son.” 

Tears welled up in John’s eyes, and he blinked. “Th—thank you,” he managed to say. “You—you don’t know how much that means to me.” His voice choked. 

“You’re welcome.” Mellie wrapped her arms around John once more, gently patting his back, and then the two of them separated again. “Now, then, shall we get started, and decide what we can do, you and me, to make things right from this time forth?” 

“Y—yes.” John cleared his throat, and the two of them got started.


End file.
